Chapter 74
Chapter 74
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Doesn't Hurt
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Doesn't it hurt?"
"Nah."
The school nurse usually doesn't leave her post.
And even if she does, she locks the door.
But today, there were too many patients at school. Thanks to that, the infirmary only had me and Jeong Eun-seong.
I gently rubbed the ointment over the back of Jeong Eun-seong's hand, stained with Park Su-hwan's blood.
He'd only thrown two punches, but his knuckles were bright red and scraped. I'd noticed it back on the first day of midterms when he was sprinting around carrying people, but damn, his strength was no joke. He could've made it big as an athlete.
But then that face of his would be such a waste...
"I told you, you don't need to put it on."
"What do you mean? All the girls are unhurt, and you're the only one injured—aren't you embarrassed?"
"...The girls used tools."
I'm too dumb to think of tools...
Jeong Eun-seong slumped his shoulders dejectedly. Seeing that expression reminded me of how he'd been blankly pushed aside by Gyeong Se-in earlier, and I chuckled inwardly.
"If you'd used a tool, Park Su-hwan would be a vegetable right now."
"...So that's a bad thing?"
"What?"
"Girls hate violent guys, right?"
"Oh, please."
For someone saying that, he hadn't hesitated at all when throwing those punches earlier.
I closed the ointment lid and said,
"The girls said you were cool."
I meant it as encouragement, but Jeong Eun-seong didn't look pleased at all. Instead, he just smirked with one corner of his mouth.
Jeong Eun-seong tapped the edge of the bed he was perched on and sneered.
"Great. While the girls were pissed, I just played dumb all blissful and clueless~~~ Then I throw one late punch, and they praise me as cool. Life's a total sweetheart."
"...."
"Best ever."
"...Are you mad?"
"Yeah."
"Why."
"Why do you think."
Hmm. I had a rough idea.
Jeong Eun-seong let out a sigh, glanced up at the ceiling, then lowered his gaze to meet mine.
"Kang Da-hye, I hate it. I hate that there's stuff I don't need to know even if you can't ignore it. I hate living in my own little flower garden of ignorance all by myself."
"...."
"I want to see what you see too."
"...It'll be tough."
"Aren't you struggling right now too?"
Well, yeah.
Jeong Eun-seong grabbed my hand, which had been fidgeting with the ointment in silence.
I hadn't noticed, but the back of my hand was lightly scraped too. This time, he reversed roles, applying the ointment himself—scooping a generous amount and slathering it on thick. As he did, Jeong Eun-seong said,
"Kang Da-hye. We made that promise back then, remember? To become adults who change the world."
"...You remember."
I thought back then it was just me getting emotional while you dismissed it as nonsense.
"I remember everything you say."
"...."
"I've started wanting to keep that promise. But where do I even start?"
Well...
"Debut..."
"...That's not up to me..."
"True..."
Solemn silence...
"What exactly do you want to change?"
"Hard to explain."
Jeong Eun-seong furrowed his brow, choosing his words carefully.
"Stuff like today. Stuff you can't unsee, but I can just ignore. I want to change that."
"Anyone overhearing would think you want to change the world because of me."
"That's exactly it."
"...."
After dropping that bombshell into someone else's heart, Jeong Eun-seong acted perfectly nonchalant.
He shoved the ointment into my hand like it was mine now, hiding the ripples inside and standing up casually.
"Classes seem canceled for today, so just sleep here. You're sleep-deprived anyway."
"What about you, Kang Da-hye?"
"I'll go up and self-study."
Even in the middle of a warzone, people who study will study. Me, studying even after a bomb drops in my heart... champion material.
Jeong Eun-seong's gonna change the world, huh? Can't let him outdo me. And to do that, I need to study first.
"Then I'll go up too."
"What? Sleep."
Lie down already.
I pushed sideways on Jeong Eun-seong's shoulder as he sat with his legs dangling off the bed. He obediently toppled over sideways and stared up at me blankly.
"Can't I just go?"
"What are you..."
Seriously, don't do that...
I dusted off my skirt while mentally reciting words I'd never forget thanks to Jeong Eun-seong—like love, start, begin, like, hate, continue, intend... like a prayer.
As I headed out of the infirmary, Jeong Eun-seong called after me.
"Kang Da-hye."
"Yeah."
"My parents died in a car accident. Back when I was in middle school."
"...."
"That's why I'm a trainee. Can't study... got a younger sibling at home. Figured this was the way for a teenager to make money."
"...."
"Reason I'm aiming to be a singer instead of an actor? That path pays faster and more."
"...So that's why you helped me that day? With my mom's car accident?"
"What? No."
Jeong Eun-seong smiled with his eyes closed.
"I helped because it was you."
"...."
"When I go home, I don't want to think about you. But why do you keep making me reflect on everything with every little thing you do? Get out of my head."
"...."
So he does think about me sometimes.
"That sounds tough."
I shook my head.
Can't leave. Don't want to.
But I could at least leave the infirmary.
The moment I stepped out, I jumped in shock.
Seo Jae-kyeom was leaning against the dark hallway wall with no lights on. Seeing me startle, he smirked faintly.
"Why so jumpy? Got a guilty conscience?"
Acting all casual, but he seemed subtly on edge.
"Asked Kim Ga-eun, and she said you were here."
"Ah."
"With the transfer student?"
"Not transfer—Jeong Eun-seong."
First semester's almost over, when are you gonna stop calling him the transfer? You're the vice president.
"Why were you looking for me?"
No matter how much classes were off, with both class pres and vice out, who was gonna keep the kids quiet?
I nodded toward the stairs for us to head up, but Seo Jae-kyeom didn't budge.
He hesitated, then said,
"I didn't see it."
"See what?"
"That... video."
"Ah."
"I only learned the name because everyone around was making a fuss. I didn't find out by watching it."
"...."
"If I'd known they were doing that crap, I'd have taken them out first. I was never involved. Never even thought to rate girls like that... in that way."
"I know."
I chose my words carefully in front of Seo Jae-kyeom, who was desperately explaining himself.
"I didn't tell you because I thought you were involved. It just keeps turning out that way—me handling stuff without looping you in."
"It's fine."
Seo Jae-kyeom chuckled. "If you'd told me ahead, wouldn't you be the traitor among the girls?"
True enough.
'Can't pull a Jang Ji-won move like that.'
"Anyway, I'm innocent. Saying I didn't know is an excuse and still my fault in this situation... but I really didn't."
"Okay."
"Gonna talk to the other guys about pushing for harsh punishment on Park Su-hwan and them. Check other classes for similar stuff too."
"The guys will go for it?"
"Yeah. No one wants to be lumped in. And to apologize for standing by all this time."
"Fair."
Least they can do to earn back trust.
Normal people would wanna distance themselves anyway.
"Gotta do something like that to fix our wrecked class vibe."
"Our class is now fourteen girls, eight guys starting today."
Seo Jae-kyeom cut in firmly as I nodded.
"We need to expel them!"
He started pacing furiously mid-sentence, heated up.
"Sorry for even saying I didn't know now, I..."
"Got it, so come on."
I grabbed Seo Jae-kyeom's arm and tugged. He followed obediently, so I said,
"You got chewed out hard by the literature teacher back then, right? For hitting Park Su-hwan without explaining why."
"Nah, not really. She likes me. 'Cause I'm handsome."
"I get why you kept quiet and covered for it. Thanks."
Didn't wanna drag me into it, probably. Once you speak up, you're tied in together.
"But Seo Jae-kyeom."
I met eyes with him standing right next to me.
"I prefer truth over being spared."
"...."
"I don't need protecting. I like full info and fighting together over hiding stuff to shield me. Pulling out the roots so they never do it again."
"...."
"Got it?"
"Yeah. I'll remember."
"Good."
Don't look at me with that punched-in-the-face expression. It's embarrassing.
I lightly punched his arm.
I led the way up the stairs. A beat behind, Seo Jae-kyeom chattered.
"Saying that means you believe I'm innocent, right?"
"I believe you..."
"Means we're kinda close?"
"No... Seo Jae-kyeom, be real—we weren't that close to begin with. Why are you so desperate to be friends?"
Know what's great about regressing?
Dodging past black history.
So no matter how nice "Seo Jae-kyeom the friend" is to me, I'll never imagine more.
Gonna dodge like this.
Like so↓
"Oh yeah, Seo Jae-kyeom. You hear about our student teacher coming?"